Escutcheon and anchoring plate therefor



Jan. 2, 1951 A. ERKKILA 2,536,494

ESCUTCHEON AND ANCHORING PLATE THEREFOR Filed Oct. 16, 194

FIGJ.

IN V EN TOR.

ANDREW ERKKILA ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 2, 1951 ESCUTCHEON AND ANCHORING PLATE THEREFOR Andrew Erkkila, Fitchburg, Mass., assignor to Independent Lock Company, Fitchburg, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application October 16, 1947, Serial No. 780,216

3 Claims. (01. 292 -357) This invention relates to an escutcheon plate for a door lock assembly, and more particularly to a screwless, smooth finished escutcheon plate, and a retaining plate therefor.

It is an object of my invention to provide an escutcheon for door knob spindles, particularly those which may carry a side and end thrust bearing in which the shank of the door knob is trunnioned, and a locking plate for the escutcheon whereby the escutcheon presents a, smooth, uninterrupted and screwless clean surface, to provide not only an ornamental trim but a proper support for the oscillating or rotating knob operated spindle for operating the latch bolt retracting mechanism.

Still further, it is an object of my invention to provide in a door lock assembly, an operating spindle for the lock mechanism, combined with a smooth finished escutcheon and anchoring plate which may accurately trunnion the oscillating spindle, while permitting rapid attachment and detachment of the escutcheon, without the use of special tools such as screw drivers which may mar the surface of the escutcheon.

Still more particularly, it is an object of my invention to provide in a door lock assembly, an escutcheon of smooth finish and anchor plate, which combine readily without regard to noncircular shapes, permitting of attachment of elliptical as well as oblong or rectangular shaped escutcheons.

Still further, it is an object of my invention to provide in a door lock assembly, a smooth finished escutcheon plate and an anchoring plate therefor, eliminating the use of exposed screws or lik fastening means and in which the cooperating parts may be made from simple metal stampings, effecting substantial economies in production while retaining the requisite rigidity of the cooperating elements.

To attain these objects and such further objects as may appear herein, or be hereinafter pointed out, I make reference to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal, partly sectional view illustrating my invention;

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the details comprising the escutcheon plate and the anchoring plate;

Figure 4 is a magnified fragmentary sectional View, also along the lines 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a magnified fragmentary sectional view illustrating the operation of my invention in a modification thereof.

Making reference to the drawing, I illustrate my invention in connection with an escutcheon IQ for a door H in which the usual cross boring I 2 merges or intersects with a lock casing boring I3 for the spindle M, which may be actuated on one or both sides of the'door l I by a knob l5.

In accordance with my invention, I provide for the escutcheon an anchoring plate it having a flat central body portion ll outlining an axial aperture l8 to cover the boring 12 in the door. Screw apertures l9 are arranged to receive the fastening means in the form of screws to concentrically position the anchoring plate with the boring I 2. The anchoring plate is pressed upwardly at its peripheral edge 2! with an integral upwardly directed head 22, comprising an upstanding section 23, a lateral arcuate segment 2 and a terminating lip 25 which is spaced from the bottom face of the bod portion ll of the anchoring plate, providing an overhang 26 for purposes which will appear more clearly as this description proceeds.

The escutcheon l0 illustrated is of the dished circular type which is centrally spun with an aperture 21 as defined by an inwardly directed spun bearing sleeve 28. This sleeve may or may not be further provided with an end thrust stop flange (not illustrated). The sleeve 23 forms a bearing which is designed to receive trunnioned therein the shank 29 of the door knob l5 previously described.

The escutcheon iii has a peripheral apron portion 3i) which is arranged to cup the plate i6 and is provided with a flat door face contacting rim 3|. At diametrically opposed portions of the rim 3|, there-are formed inwardly directed lugs 32 and 33, extended to fit between the face of the door and'the overhang 26 of the lip, with some degree of taper to the surface 34, for purposes.

which will appear hereinafter.

With the construction as described, assembly may be effected by first attaching the locking plate It in position concentrically with the boring [2, so that the aperture l8 reinforces the same, the lock casing and. spindle being thereupon positioned in the boring provided therefor. The escutcheon is then slipped over the spindle to concentrically position the boring 21. The apron 33 clears the periphery of the locking disk [6 with substantial tolerance. The lugs 32, 33 however, ride upon the bead 22 to engage the camming surface 24 which, by reason of the combined lateral resiliency of the lip 25 and the lugs 32 and 33, serves to provide the detent action to snap the lugs beneath the overhanging lip 25. The tapered surface 34 adjacent the lugs 33 engages the lip 25 to draw the rim 3i into engagement with the surface of the door I l, sealing the rim 3| against the surface of the door. The resiliency of the escutcheon Ill and the clearance provided by the apron 3D serve to hold the escutcheon plate in position, while accurately centrally locating the bearing 28 with regard to the lock casing mechanism.

For removal of the escutcheon plate, one need only pry a sharp edge, suchas a knife blade, between the rim 3| and the surface of the door H, to overcome the camming action of the lugs 32 and 33 beneath the lip 25 of the anchoring plate. Thus, no special tools are required to remove the escutcheon plate.

It will be understood that while I may rely upon the clearance between the apron 30 of the escutcheon and the periphery of the locking plate I6 to effect resilient displacement, camming the lugs into locking engagement, I may, as more specifically shown in Figure 5, provide a locking disk Ila of thin stock, so that the bead 24a provides an overhanging lip 25a which is resilient and subject to resilient displacement in pressing the escutcheon plate in position. Thus the lugs 33 in engaging the lip 25a, in accordance with this embodiment, resiliently displace the same until they pass the lip and drop into position in the overhang space 26a.

The interfitting relationship between the apron 30 ofthe escutcheon and the bead 26 of the locking plate assures a bearing surface for the knob shank so that it may revolve accurately without binding. Thus, trunnion support for the spindle is provided without special skill in affixing the escutcheon in position.

The assembly provides a clean, ornamental, smooth finished escutcheon of rigid construction and of great economy in production and as sembly. In use Where painting may require removal of the escutcheon, operating performance of the interlocking escutcheon and anchoring plate is assured Without destroying the interengagement of these cooperating parts.

Also there is no limitation of shape of the escutcheon or'anchoring plate and circular as well as odd shapes may be effectively and efficiently united.

Having thusdescribed my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a door lock assembly or the like having an operating spindle and a knob whose shank is trunnioned in a smooth finished escutcheon and attached to the door frame by an anchor plate, the combination wherein said anchor plate comprises a sheet metal disk of uniform thickness having a flat central door face contacting portion for attachment to the door face and pressed out at its peripheral edge with an integral bead outlined by an upstanding segment looped laterally and terminating laterally into a latching lip, and leaving an overhang which has a rim spaced from said segment and which is resilient alon said looped segment, said escutcheon having inwardly directed lugs for engaging said lip by resilient radial displacement of one of said engaging portions. 7

'2. In a door lock assembly or the like having an operating spindle and a knob whose shank is trunnioned in a smooth finished escutcheon, attached to the door frame by an anchoring plate, said anchoring plate comprising a circular sheet metal disk having a fiat central portion through which the spindle passes and at its peripheral edge an integral bead defined by an upstanding section folded over laterally and terminating into a latching lip, providing'a resilient overhang spaced from the upstanding section, and an axial support for said escutcheon.

3. In a door lock assembly having a smooth finished escutcheon for the knob spindle thereof, an anchoring plate for said escutcheon comprising a circular sheet metal disk through which the spindle of said lock may pass and including a fiat central portion merging at its peripheral edge into an integral bead having an upstandlng section, a laterally directed camming edge merging into a downwardly directed, spaced latching lip, leaving an overhang for engaging lugs formed on said escutcheon to position and remove said escutcheon by resilient displacement of said escutcheon and latching lip.

ANDREW ERKKILA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,653,512 Schlage Dec. 20, 1927 2,104,403 Roethel Jan. 4, 1938 2,423,206 Schlage July 1, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 624,309 Germany Jan. 17, 1936 

